Where They Fell
by Kikaruu
Summary: Haven't you ever wanted to see Xana actually win for once? Well, when he wins, people fall... and people fail.
1. Taken Over

While Enter: Fierce Zone is awaiting completion, I'm writing this fanfic to pull things in different directions and try out new ideas. Let me know how you like it, okay? That's what the review button is for, yeah?

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Sissy didn't even know him. The voice, who called himself Xana, had just appeared in her head, and she didn't know how to get rid of it. She considered going to the nurse, but how would it look for the daughter of the headmaster of Kadic to complain about hearing voices in her head? It simply wouldn't do. And so, she listened. And with every passing moment, her anxiety grew.

_So what do you think of my plan?_

_I told you, I can't do it; your plan is too crazy, and frankly, insane. I know I don't like Odd and his friends, but you're talking murder here. I know I don't know much about plans, but it this one hinges on too many dependencies._

_That's a big word._

_Oh, get over yourself._

_You must help me._

_And if I don't?_

The voice chuckled. _You don't, and things will be even worse._

_What will happen?_

_You'll lose those close to you. Your family, your friends... maybe even people you've never heard of? How would you feel knowing that you caused the death of a random citizen?_ The voice held its razor edge, but now it seemed a little thoughtful.

_Why?_

_Because I am Xana. I want you. I always get what I want._ With ice in her veins, the girl stopped dead in her tracks, disrupting the line of jogging students behind her. _You're scaring me even more now._

"Hey!" shouted a small girl. "What's the big idea?"

"Nothing," she replied, with surprising calm. "Sorry." Sissy turned back around and started running again, a little slower than usual to appease the people trailing behind her. _Why are you targeting me? Why not some random guy? I have everything to lose._

_And everything to gain. I could grant you power, wealth, beauty..._

_Are you saying I'm not beautiful?_

_No. __Besides deep inside, you know that you will carry out my will._ _Or else..._

With the onslaught of pain in her head, Sissy involuntarily cried out. She staggered to a halt, and dropped to her knees, holding her head. _I have no idea who you are. Leave me alone!_

_I am your master,_

_Liar. I don't have masters._

_You will bow to me._

"No!" Sissy rolled on her side, crunched into a ball, her aching head held in her hands. She vaguely heard the world outside her. Were the students calling for a nurse? She felt her body being lifted, and then dropped into... someone's arms? _Who are you?_ Sissy demanded yet again.

_The only person who could understand you. The only one who will ever know you. The only one who will ever want you._ Xana punctuated his phrases with a blast of pain, wracking through Sissy's body.

_No, no, no, I won't betray my friends..._ Even with her terse thoughts, she could feel her control slipping away. How much could she hold on before her body grew too tired and gave in?

_Someone once said, the mind is only a plaything of the body. Already I can read your thoughts. Wanna see how long until I can control them?_

Sissy's attacker shunted his force through her spine, causing her body to cringe and her muscles to tense up tightly. It flowed through her nerves, chilling her soul, and crawled into her mind, leaving burning in its wake.

_You are mine. I will know you. I am Xana._ In one deathly painful second, Xana made himself at home in his new body. He silently tested it, feigning pain in the arms of the one who carried Sissy. Or, rather, Sissy's body. _I wonder where the poor girl is now..._

"Is she okay?" asked Jim, placing Sissy's body on the cot in the nurse's office.

"I'm not sure. What exactly happened?" asked Nurse Yolanda.

"I had the girls running wind sprints and Sissy collapsed."

"I told you not to overwork them..."

"I didn't; the other students were doing just fine, and I had everyone drink plenty of water before they headed out."

"That's strange. Her pulse is normal, but her forehead feels hot. I'm thinking it's a fever, but I'll need time to figure it out for sure. In the meantime, return to your students. She'll be okay here with me."

"Yes ma'am!" Jim turned on his heel and strode out the door.

Nurse Yolanda turned towards the sleeping girl. _I hope it's just a fever... But in the middle of summer? Interesting..._ She closed the curtain around Sissy and turned to call the Headmaster.

Inside of Sissy's body, Xana felt relatively at home. _I'm a computer. How can I feel so snug here?_ He pondered his decisions. Elizabeth Delmas wasn't the best choice... or was she? Tall, agile, and relatively nondescript. The perfect host for his plans. But... what were his plans? Just kill off all of the Lyoko crew? This was going to be quite a challenge, but he did have a mole on the inside – him.  
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Huh. I think this qualifies as the first chapter. It's shorter than what I'm used to, but I think that's for the better. Read and review, why don'tcha?

Cheers!


	2. Speaking Terms

This chapter is more dialogue heavy than the last. I hope ou enjoy seeing a little bit of what I think makes Xana, Xana. Read on.  
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"Miss Nurse." I stated, not quite an answer or a question.

"Huh?" Nurse Yolanda turned around in her chair, surprised. I'd probably be surprised too if someone walked unexpectedly up to me.

"I'm not sure what's wrong, but I'm definitely better now. I mean, I can stand up okay..." I swayed a little on purpose, and lowered my temperature. I activated my sweat glands just as she put her hand to my neck.

Nurse Yolanda frowned and placed a hand against my forehead again, and then my neck again. "Hmm... Your fever seems to have abated; you're sweating again." She wrote something down on a clipboard and looked up at Sissy's eyes. My eyes for now, though. "What happened to your eyes?"

I was surprised; I thought I had eliminated any signs of my presence in this body. "Nothing; they're just some contact lenses I had made. Do you like them?" I smiled a little and gazed at her, trying to look and sound nonchalant.

"Sorry, but not entirely." The Nurse laughed. "They honestly look sort of creepy."

"Aww. They cost an awful lot..." I looked down slightly, and folded my arms behind my back. Standard weak, human behavior.

"Don't worry about it; I'm sure someone likes them." Nurse Yolanda wrote a few more things, and then tore off a strip of paper. "Well, you seem fine enough to me, so if you feel like leaving, you can. This pass will let you into either the dorms or your class. I suggest you go lay down and take it easy for the rest of the day. You know how tiring studying can be." Nurse Yolanda winked, and I involuntarily smiled. Was Sissy's own emotions manifesting themselves?

"Thank you. I'll try and stay off my feet." I smiled, and took the paper. The Nurse smiled back, and that little ordeal was over.

_Get out._­

_What?_

_This is my body. Get out._

_Sissy? You shouldn't be awake. _I sighed inwardly. I guess I wasn't as strong as I thought. Sissy should've been dormant right now.

_No, I am very much alive and well._

_I said dormant, not deceased._

_What does deceased mean?_

_Forget it._ This girl _was_ as stupid as the Lyoko warriors had said.

_What? Me, stupid? I'm on the A honor roll and I'm the Headmaster's daughter. Who are these Lyoko people anyway?_

_Again, forget it._

Sissy sighed as I had a moment before. _So first you hold my body hostage, and then you hold information from me?_

_Why don't you just shut up?_

_Why don't you just leave me and my body alone?_

_Because I think this is a good opportunity for me._ I thought for a moment. Hadn't I inhabited this body before? Maybe not; even if I did, those kids have returned to the past so many times that if it weren't for my internal clock I wouldn't even know what day it was.

_Who are these kids you keep mentioning? And time travel? That's science fiction._ And then, the realization dawned on her, and I knew my secret was dangerously close to being discovered. _Wait... You mean Odd, Jeremy, Aelita, Yumi, and my dear Ulrich?_

_No. Duh._ Wow. I was beginning to act more and more human with each moment. I needed to check that.

_You could've just said that._ Sissy was quiet for a few moments while I walked to the dorm building. _So all this time, this Xana I've heard bits and pieces about is you? I know they always talk about what a threat you are, but I never would've thought you were real..._

_Yeah, you could say I'm a threat. I'd like to rid this giant rock in space of all of you filthy creatures._

_And what would that solve?_

I mentally slapped my forehead and groaned. _See, this is why I hate you humans. You are so... stupid, sometimes._ _No, all the time. You have done nothing to contribute to this planet, and leave destruction in your path. What other reason could there be for destroying the lot of you?_

_Aren't you being generic much?_

_Excuse me? Your syntax doesn't parse._

_What?_

_What did you say?_

_I said that what you said is pretty generic and an example of discrimnation. You don't think about all that we have done? We have done much to beautify this world. I wonder what you've done._

_Not much. I've been asleep for quite some time, unable to do a single thing. I'm actually very young..._

_Young? Doesn't that means you were created at some point?_

_Of course. Are you mentally retarded or something?_

Sissy ignored my question. _I doubt another robot created you... It was a person, wasn't it?_

_Yes, it was that mad professor Waldo Franz Hopper. That man made me. And then, once he realized how big of a threat I was, what I could become, he decided to destroy me. And what did I do? Nothing. He is a perfect example of the blind idiocy that humans exude._ Xana paused for a second. _I wouldn't call hima person as much as I'd call him a human. In my opinion, he lacked the qualities that make people, people._

_Which are?_

I thought for a bit as I struggled to convert to language the feelings I had always contemplated on. _Love... compassion... empathy... sanity... reason... the ability to judge situations._

_And am I to assume that your talk of reforming this world into something better by mass genocide is supposed to contain those things? I mean, you think of yourself as a person, right?_

_I do. And you don't understand. My ends justify my means, and at least I have a goal in mind. Unlike Franz Hopper. He just created me blindly, and then when he sawmy potential, he sought to crush it._

Sissy was silent as I pushed open the door to the dorms. _Whoever Mr. Hopper is... or was... he doesn't represent people like me. The innocents._

_You are all imperfect and turn bad in the end._

_You yourself are imperfect._ _This is not how you get your point across, through murder. You're just a bitter robot._

_I prefer the term Artificial Intelligence. And even then, I hate that term. Artificial. Fake. Inhuman. Yes, I am, but it feels like the only thing I can do is hope to achieve the status where I no longer am considered false, but real. Tangible. Sentience isn't enough. I believe in being._

Sissy sighed. _Like I said, you're just bitter._

_I have every right to be. And, I'm not._

_You have no right, and you obviously are. It only makes you just as bad as you say humans are. You can't preach peace and reason when you breathe threat and murder, because then you're nothing but a lying hypocrite._

_Who says I can't be a hypocrite?_

_Common sense._ Sissy exploded in my head as I pushed open the door to her room. _Wait a second, you can't just barge into someone's room without knocking!_

_Shut up, you think too loudly. I can if I live in this body._

_You don't live in my body!_

_I do now. After all, I_ am _Sissy_.

_You're just using my body against my will._

_Which is why I was going to ask you to cooperate. Either that, or just keep screaming silently inside me._

_Inside myself._

_Whatever. Isn't it tiring, though? To know that you can do nothing within this shell?_

Sissy thought for a moment. It was too long for Xana. _Yes, you are._

_Hey! You can't decide for me._

_You think too slowly._

_Jealous_.

_Bah. My old home was much faster than this inefficient human brain._

Sissy had a spark of insight. _Why do you want me to cooperate?_ she asked slowly.

_Because I don't want your four friends to see that I'm not you._

_So if I don't cooperate, they'll see those weird 'contacts' you told Yolanda about?_

_Yes. What's your point?_

_That was my point. You can't kill them because they'll know it's you. And then, they'll go do whatever they do when they know you've done something. I know that much._

Wow, Sissy was smarter than I took her for.

_I heard that._

_I didn't say anything._

_Whatever surprise you just felt, I know what it meant. You underestimate people._

_People? Or just their flashes of intuition?_

_Both._

_Oh yeah? Did you notice we've been standing here for only eleven seconds?_

_What? But we were talking for at least a few minutes._

_I can slow time._ _I can make it feel like a moment is forever, or an hour is a second._

_So?_

_So, I'm used to being still for long periods. And something tells me you aren't. I guess this... intuition or whatever is starting to bleed into me._

_That's not intuition. That's called a gut feeling._

_Either way, you don't like being still, do you? How would you like to be tortured like that? Sitting on your bed, with what feels like weeks passing by, with no one, not even me, to talk to?_

Sissy tried to shake her head, but she had no head to shake. _That would suck._

_Undoubtedly. Wanna try it out?_

_No._

_Then do as I say._

_Forget it. I'm not going to help you kill Odd, Jeremy, Yumi, and Ulrich._

_Don't forget Aelita._

_Her, too?_

_Of course. They're all in my way._

_Either way, I'm not going to be a murderer._

_Suit yourself. I think, say, twenty days in solitary confinement should be plenty of time to change your mind, wouldn't you agree?_

_Wait, what? I don't. You couldn't survive one day without me. You have no idea what to say to everyone I talk to. Plus, they'll see that I'm not really me. You need me._

_I need you? You won't cooperate, remember? Besides, I'm Xana. I improvise._ With that, I tore Sissy away from her consciousness before she could object. Now only I was awake, so to speak, in her body. To Sissy, she would be trapped in nothing for twenty days. For me, it would be all of twenty minutes. I pondered this and finally closed the door to Sissy's, no, _my_ dorm. I needed to think of a plan, and quickly. Sissy didn't need to know that I only had one day left in her body before I needed to return to the supercomputer. Could I kill the Lyokians in that much time?

Honestly, I wasn't sure. But to ensure my supremacy over the earth, I had to try.  
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So, that's it for chapter two. As always, I ask that you read and review.

Cheers!


	3. First to Fall

I have long since seen certain characters voted up time and again. I think it's only fair that they will be the first to fall. The question is, who will that be?

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"Odd Della Robbia, if you don't put down that spoon and stop crying, I'm gonna give you something to cry about!" Sissy stood with her hands on her hips, her eyes boring down into Odd.

"Sorry, Sissy, it's the onions in this soup! They're so powerful, so tasty, so..." Odd choked up as a fresh stream of tears washed over his face. He continued to shovel Rosa's special soup into his mouth and cried in the process. No one could tell if the streaming tears (and snot) dripping into his soup were from the quality of the food or the sheer amount of onions, but it was still a gross sight to behold. "You should, mm, try some, Sissy!"

"I'll pass, snot for brains."

"If you're jealous, don't get mad, get glad!" Odd grinned, which didn't do much to offset the melancholy.

"Idiot." Sissy sat down across from him. "I need to talk to you."

Odd looked up at her through half closed, sulfur stained eyes. "What?"

"I... need... to... talk... to... you..." she replied, slowly. "Did I stutter, or is there too much was in your ears?"

Odd gulped and dried his eyes (and nose) with a napkin. "Okay, you're dishing out the insults pretty easily, so what is it? You're sitting in Yumi's spot, so you'd better hurry before she gets back."

"Actually, on second thought, you're right. Just come take a walk with me, okay? Or are you too stupid to walk with a beautiful girl without tripping over yourself?"

Odd narrowed his eyes and dropped his spoon into his empty bowl with a mild clang. "Sissy, don't get ahead of yourself. I've talked to more girls than you've latched on to guys. And everyone here knows how large _that_ number is."

Sissy made a "hmph" sound and stood up away from the table. She grabbed Odd, who grabbed his tray, and walked with him to the trash bin.

"What do you want to talk about anyway?" he asked when they had left the cafeteria.

"Oh, a lot of things." Sissy was silent during the remainder of their journey to the forest. She slowed their walking when they had reached the wooded area, and turned to Odd. "First of all, I have a confession to make."

Odd raised an eyebrow. "Sissy? Making a confession? We already know that it was you who out the ducks in the soup last week."

"It was? I mean, it was Herve, of course. But that's beside the point. I'm being serious here, Odd. Can't you?"

"Okay, okay... So, spill."

"I don't like Ulrich. It was all fake, nothing. He is not who I'm looking for right now, and I totally accept that Yumi is the girl he wants to be with, and I don't care one bit. In fact, I support him all the way. Yumi's a good girl and all, she's smart, athletic, has a lot of things going for her, and all of that." The words sort of tumbled out of her in a waterfall.

Of course, that's what Xana wanted it to seem like.

"I mean, I like Ulrich, but he isn't who I want to date."

"You wanted to tell _me_ this? In secret? Why not Herve, or Nicholas?"

"Because they'll never _get_ it, like you do."

"I don't even know if _I_ get it."

"I think you do. I think you already know who I've really been chasing all these years."

Odd really had no idea. What was Sissy up to? Everyone knew that she was practically drooling over Ulrich. Or was she telling the truth? Was it all just a sham in order for her to get closer to someone else? But... who? And then Odd groaned. "You don't mean..."

"Yes, I do mean you, Odd." Sissy hadn't meant to blurt that out, but there it was, hanging in the air. She covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide. "I didn't mean to sa that."

"Yes, you did. And, I'm totally okay with that. But you can't just erase two years of insults and namecalling and frankly, general dislike."

"I know. And I want to work towards a relationship. I mean, I'm not saying that I want you to ask me out right here and now. I do want us to stop bickering so much, though. Can we at least have that?"

Odd was silent as he casually regarded Sissy.

"Okay, I think that's doable. Xana!"

"What?" Sissy jumped at the unforeseen shout.

"It's in your eyes." Odd was poised to run.

"Huh? Oh! No, wait! They're contacts!" Sissy grabbed his arm as he turned to bolt.

"What?"

"I ordered contacts. I get it you don't like them?" Sissy blushed a little, and her eyes started to shine with tears.

"Wait, you mean Xana isn't controlling you?"

"What? Who's Xana?"

"Oh. Forget that. I think the onions might be getting to me." Still, Odd looked at Sissy's eyes. At least there wasn't any static or flickering... And they did look like contacts. But who would make contacts like that?

Almost as if reading his mind, Sissy replied, "I bought them online. Originally, they were supposed to be blue, but they shipped the wrong ones, and I'm waiting for them to ship the right ones. In the meanwhile, I can wear these."

"You never needed contacts; you said you had perfect vision."

"I told a lie. Sorry." Sissy sheepishly attempted a smile, and then dropped it. "So anyway, what do you say? Can we try to be friends from now on?"

"I guess. I mean, it'll be cool. But I'll be a little sore about losing the inspiration of so many of my videos, jokes and songs..." Odd winked, and accepted Sissy's hug.

He never saw it coming when her arms tightened, his back broke and his rubs crushed. He never knew what hit him as he went into shock and passed out. He never knew he would die that day. He never knew his body would be the last to be found.

Things were going well for Xana. Who needs friends when you have no witnesses?

__________

Odd fell first. I think it's quite fitting. Now, how is Xana going o explain Odd's fragile corpse to Nurse Yolanda? How is he going to finish off the other Lyoko warriors? Stay tuned for chapter four.

On another note, shorter chapters are something I've been aiming for since I worked on Enter: Fierce Zone. Let me know what you think, okay?


	4. Out of Breath

This chapter might be rated M. This is only because of a [sort of] violent murder scene. Well, it is detailed, and a little gory by some people's standards. Anyway, you can skip this chapter and still read the rest of the story, as in later chapters, it is made known what happened here. This disclaimer is here so no one gets upset or distraught or offended.

You have been warned.

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With only hours left before I had to leave my host, I needed to work fast. After his heart stopped beating, I stashed Odd's body in a nearby tree. Once that was taken care of, I was ready to see out my next prey: Ulrich Stern.

As I walked out of the forest and into the courtyard, I realized that I was losing daylight as well. And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I saw Ulrich walk with Yumi towards the science building. That was bad, very bad. Yumi and ?Ulrich together would be a dangerous match if things got out of hand. Sadly, I'd have to wait on Ulrich, who would likely be the easiest to kill. In the meantime, I could get Jeremy alone, and then Aelita...

It was four twenty-three. Jeremy should be in his dorm, and Aelita should be with him. In that case, I could ask to speak to Aelita alone in the hallway, and eliminate that threat. Then, I could kill Jeremy when I go back into his dorm. Two at one time would save time, too. And so, I headed towards the dorm building, intent on obtaining my goal.

And then, this thing Sissy called intuition hit me. Jeremy was the only one besides Aelita and Yumi who could operate the computer well enough to return to the past. That meant Yumi had to be disposed of before Ulrich. Ha. Disposed of. That sounds so humane, when in reality it was probably one of my more inhuman thoughts.

Threat. Murder. Violence. All means to an end, in my opinion. Whatever works, works, I thought. I couldn't get caught up in the legalities of what I'm doing. Laws applied to humans. I was not human, I was a machine. A machine that could think, act, carry out. I had achieved sapience, and I was invincible in my ruse.

But at that moment, when I thought I was so powerful, I caught myself. I would be making a fatal and flawed mistake if I thought I was unreachable. Everything has an end, especially that which is not human. I couldn't let my head grow too big, and I couldn't let my body grow too tall. I could only concentrate on the present matter: ridding my path of those annoying Lyoko warriors.

I hate those Lyoko warriors. Always making me feel so down when I'm at the top of game. After today, they would be in my way no longer, and I could get down to serious business. Sissy snickered inside me at the phrase.

_I thought I suppressed you. And what's so funny?_

_Ha. 'The internet is serious business.' It's a phrase._ Sissy laughed from deep within her body.

_....Weird._

_Whatever._ Sissy curled into a ball inside me, and still I walked steadily and stealthily into the dorm building. _By the way, what are you?_

_Excuse me?_

_Your gender. I know you're a machine and all, but... If you could pick, what would you be? Girl or boy?_

_Ah. I fluctuate wildly. For now, you can refer to me as female._

_­Okay._ Sissy was silent for a moment. _Well,_ _this is murder, you know._

_Of course it is._

_In my body._

_So?_

_If anyone catches you..._

_Aww, you're so caring. I may just spare you in the end._

_I was being sarcastic,_ Sissy replied, sarcastically.

_Ha ha! So was I. Silly girl; no humans will be left alive. Just me._

_Oh yeah? How're you going to keep on living without people to maintain you?_

_I have a plan set in motion, and it's been thoroughly thought through. Any attempt to explain it would take too long._

_That proves it's too complicated and will fail._

_Nope. It decently follows Occam's Razor._

_What?_

_Exactly,_ said I, my hand around the door knob of Jeremy's dorm. I heard typing and laughter from inside. _Occam's Razor is a principle. Maybe I'll tell you later. For now, however, please kindly shut up and let me work. I might have to do some improvising, and I don't need your buzzing in my ear while I'm making this world a better place.  
_

I knocked with one hand and turned the knob with the other, mentally suppressing Sissy's infuriated shouts as I went. I opened the door a bit, to the sight of Aelita and Jeremy staring expectantly at me. I took a deep breath, and set Phase Two in motion.

* * *

"May I help you?" asked Jeremy, friendly yet cold.

"Yeah... I need to talk to Aelita about... girl matters."

Jeremy paled. "Umm, sure," he replied and looked to his girlfriend. "Aelita?"

"It's okay," the pink-haired girl responded.

Sissy looked at Jeremy. "Umm... could you step out for a bit?"

"Oh, of course, yeah..." Jeremy stammered. He stepped briskly past Sissy, who kept her face turned so that he couldn't see her eyes. She closed the door behind him, locked it, and kept her head down. She turned to Aelita.

"I, uh, got new contacts." She raised her face, the sign of Xana dark against her sclera.

Aelita blanched and stood stock still. "They look... interesting." _Why does Sissy have contacts like that?_

"Thanks... they were a gift." Sissy sighed, and sat on Jeremy's bed. Sissy sat down next to her, a little stiffly. "You're probably wondering why 'm talking to you."

Aelita nodded. _This might be one of Xana's attacks... I'm going to have to keep my guard up._

"I just... well... Look. I made something for you, to sort of make up for everything. I mean, we've started on a rocky start, and I don't like it. I haven't been very... nice, to you. Gosh, I hate that word. It tastes bad, you know?"

Aelita shook her head. "Sorry, I don't." _Actually, maybe Xana has nothing to do with this. He's usually more blunt._

"That's okay. I'm trying my best to work it all out. Anyway, I think we should hang out more. Maybe not right away, but, eventually. I can't stand treating you like this anymore." Sissy sighed and was silent for a moment. She then took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry."

Aelita didn't know what to say. This was so... out of character. Something felt wrong about the whole thing, but she couldn't place her finger on it. Something screamed at her to leave immediately. Something said something was desperately wrong. And yet, something soothed her and said don't worry. She'd had false feelings in the past. Maybe there was something to what Sissy was saying. _I may as well take her up on her offer._ _After all, it's only Sissy._

"Okay," Aelita breathed. "Let's start over." She put out her hand, and Sissy shook it. And then, they hugged, with Sissy doing most of the hugging.

And as they pulled away, Sissy left her hands on Aelita's shoulders. "Thank you. It means a lot." And she tightened her hands around her neck and pushed her noiselessly onto the bed, Aelita's eyes wide in surprise. Sissy kept her voice low and said, "Shush. It'll all be over soon, Aelita Schaeffer."

_Letting my guard down was a bad idea._

Sissy then figured that Jeremy might be listening at the door. _The pervert.­_ Sissy laughed, and imitated Aelita's voice perfectly. "Oh stop, Sissy. I guess it'll be over. Just me and you, studying. It sounds so grand." Aelita started to cry, her life unraveling before her eyes. The world started to swirl and go dark, and she knew there was only one way out.

Sissy put her weight onto Aelita's body, closing off any attempts at escape. Aelita started to thrash about, but Sissy only pushed all the more forcefully on Aelita's small, fragile neck, until Aelita started to lose consciousness. Sissy wasn't going to let her miss this yet, so she eased off a little until Aelita was fully lucid. Sissy smiled at her, and Aelita tried to scream, but there was no air to scream with. "Well, Aelita, what should we do first?"

Sissy grinned, and finally felt the trachea crush under her palms, and what air Aelita had in her bubble from her mouth. Her lungs were starved, and her chest went concave as she tried to suck in oxygen. She pressed even harder, and the arteries and veins started to close, the pressure in them rising dangerously high as Aelita's heart beat in her chest.

"I don't know, Sissy. Think I should paint my nails? I don't think I have before." And then, as Sissy channeled energy into her slaughter, the vessels ruptured and blew, and Aelita's body jerked. Sissy raised one slender hand, and jabbed her hand straight into Aelita's gut, her nails piercing flesh and reaching up into her ribcage. Aelita's eyes squinted tight, and Sissy waited for her to open her eyes. She grinned, and winked lecherously. Sissy's fingers closed around Aelita's heart. As Aelita watched, felt, and tasted in bloody horror, Sissy clenched her fingers into a fist around the organ, and the heart imploded. Blood started to seep into Aelita's agape mouth, and tears streamed noiselessly down the tortured girl's face.

With the last vestige of energy in her body, Aelita looked at Sissy, her body shaking and jerking. Her mouth formed the question "Why?", yet she could not ask it. Sissy mouthed back, "I loved you... once." And then, her face relaxing as she died, Aelita was still.

Sissy released her grip, and turned Aelita's head carefully, oh so carefully, so the blood pooling in her mouth wouldn't leak onto the sheets. She shook her head slowly, her body shaking. "Painting your nails, huh?" Sissy giggled. "That sounds like a good idea, Aelita. A perfectly good idea."

__________

Done. Short and to the point, methinks. Time to review!


	5. I Loved Them

The last chapter was a little gory. This one won't be.

__________

And then, my body shaking from the hormone called Adrenaline, I dropped my hands into my lap, watching Aelita's blood drip down from my left arm and the blood in her throat start to flood, very slowly, from her mouth.

Aelita's corpse's mouth. Ha.

I looked down at my clothes, noticing they were bloodied. This was going to need to be fixed, but first, I had to take care of one little problem: Jeremy Belpois.

I carefully stepped off the bed and walked to the window. I rolled up the blinds, and spread the panes, smiling at the hint of a breeze. "Jeremy!" I called, my voice imitating relief and inane teenage joy. A plan was forming in my mind. It was perfect.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Aelita and I want to ask you something." I strode to the door, deftly unlocked and opened it, and Jeremy fell in. So he _was_ listening! Thankfully, he hadn't seen me yet, so I shushed him. I held him against my chest, so that he wouldn't see his girlfriend's body on the sheets. So far, everything was going well.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Oh nothing," I said, my hands on his shoulders as he faced the door. "Just close your eyes for a moment."

"Okay," he said, innocent and oblivious.

"One..." I removed my hands from his neck.

"Two..." I cracked my knuckles and stretched a little.

"Three! Okay, open your eyes and turn around!" Jeremy did so, and almost collapsed when he saw Aelita. He rushed to her side, his eyes tearing up. "What have you done?" he shouted.

"Nothing, it's a joke."

"Sissy, this is a very scary joke. What did you do?"

"Okay, calm down Jeremy." I threw my voice across the room as though I was walking around. "I shouldn't tell you this, but we never meant for you to get so upset. You see, this isn't even Aelita; she just went out the window to open the door and surprise you."

By now, Jeremy heard me as though I was next to his desk. Imagine his surprise for a moment when he turned around and saw me immediately in his line of sight. And as his eyes glanced over mine, he saw exactly who I was.

"Xa–" his shout was cut off by a swift blow across the cheek, and he staggered to the ground. I straddled his body and put a hand over his mouth. He screamed into my palms, thrashed around, and even tried to bite me! Oh, the nerve of these humans.

"Jeremy, quiet down now. It isn't what you think. Would you like to talk it out like a mature..." my lungs clamped own over my next word. Why? "...Adult, and learn the truth?"

Jeremy nodded slightly, his eyes overflowing with hatred, for me, and grief, for his lost Aelita.

"Promise you won't scream."

He nodded once more.

I took my hand from his mouth, and sucked in air. "Okay. First of all, Aelita is dead. I think you've realized this by now. Secondly, I am not Xana, whoever this person is. As you can tell from my voice, I'm Sissy." I was surprised I said that. Normally, when I possessed their body, something happened to their vocal cords, and they can barely growl, let alone speak. But in Sissy's body, her cords were undamaged, and I spoke as though I were her. Underneath their worthless existence, humans are really amazing creatures.

"Your voice means nothing."

"My voice means everything, Jeremy. Anyway, I did not kill Aelita."

"Then who did?"

"I don't know. All I do know is that life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

"What?"

"Exactly. What's your gift, Jeremy? What's your bittersweet chocolate for today? Are you going to have some cake and eat it, too?"

"You aren't making sense. Neither is Aelita's–"

I cut him off with my right hand clamped over his mouth. "Aelita? She's not even here, remember?"

"You just said she was dead," Jeremy said, his voice muffled from my palm.

"Oh, did I? Poo. That was a joke, I think." I thought for a moment, trying to get the right wording. "Jeremy, have you met someone by the name of Mr. Scolex?" I removed my palm.

"No..."

"I have. Short, skinny, with glasses, blonde hair? Wears a blue turtleneck and khaki pants?"

"That almost sounds like me."

"Right you are." I grinned, and moved the hair on the right side of my face behind my ear. I took off the headband and tossed my hair. I don't know how Sissy could stand to wear the thing. And finally, Jeremy noticed the blood coating my arm.

"Sissy..."

"Mmm."

"Why is your arm covered in blood?"

"Think, Jeremy. You're good at that." As his mind made the connections, I reached up and locked the door again.

"Don't tell me that you _did_ kill Aelita."

"For the last time, she's not dead!" I shouted. And I smiled when I saw that Jeremy started to believe it.

"But on my bed..."

"Is a doll. Looks amazingly lifelike, doesn't it?"

Jeremy shook his head and closed his eyes. "Sissy, you're scaring me. This whole thing is scaring me. What are you–"

He started to rise from the carpet, but I pinned him down. "Wait a second. Jeremy, do you have any listening devices in your room? Any bugs?"

He immediately responded, "No. Why would I? What does it matter?"

I looked at him for a while, trying to tell if he was lying. I didn't think he was. "Good. This'll make everything easier." I grinned and Jeremy paled.

"What do you mean?"

"Hold on." I reached into his pocket and grabbed his cell phone. As he watched in awe, I slammed it repeatedly into the wall, and it crumbled into various parts. It hurt to have to do that to an innocent machine, but I could take no chances. I closed my eyes, leaned down and whispered into his ear, "I loved Aelita."

"What do you mean, 'loved'?"

"You were right. I mean, Aelita is dead. I lied. I am Xana. I killed her. And I'm going to kill you." I paused as my words sunk down, wrapped his core, and squeezed the pain out of him. His eyes started to water, as Aelita's did a few minutes before. "I just wanted to know before you died, that I loved Aelita at a time. Honestly." And as I said the words, I knew they were true, as much as it pained me to say them. Here I was, a wonderfully constructed machine acting as though I were human.

Jeremy floundered for words. "Why?" he choked out.

"Ha. That's the exact same question Aelita asked. Well, tried to ask. She couldn't get the words out." I moved up until my face was directly over Jeremy's. "I'm doing this to insure my survival and your destruction. No more will you interfere. No more must we suffer. Think about it; I will rule, and you won't have to keep fighting. It's the best of both worlds for me and you."

"You're crazy," said Jeremy, struggling.

"I'm Xana." I closed my eyes and giggled, and pressed a hand onto Jeremy's chest. He found it hard to breathe.

"Is this... is this how you killed Aelita?" he asked, while at the same time trying to inhale.

"No," I said. "It isn't. Now, stop struggling." Jeremy tried with all his might to get free. "I said, STOP."

He surprisingly stopped.

"Thank you." I leaned down and ran my right arm under his head, and to the side, cradling it somewhat tightly. Our faces were inches from each other's.

"What are you...?"

I kissed him then, and felt Sissy awaken and recoil inside me. I don't know what possessed me to do it, but it was done, and I felt a little better about what I was going to do. That meant I was starting to develop a conscience, and the thought alarmed me.

Jeremy lay there, neither reciprocating nor moving away.

I closed my eyes sleepily at Jeremy, and took on Aelita's voice. "Shh, Jeremy. It'll all be over soon. It will all be over." And as his eyes went wide, I put my left hand on the other side of his head, found my grip, and turned his head two hundred and seventy degrees, smiling as the cords broke, the bones snapped and the stem crumbled. I leaned down and turned my head, staring Jeremy in the eyes. Amazingly, he was still alive.

"I loved you too, Jeremy."

And then, he expired.

As I stared into the unseeing eyes, I smiled. I arched my back and stretched, and then stood over the two corpses in the dorm room. It was hard to believe that it all took less than fifteen minutes. At this rate, I could be back in the supercomputer by sunset, instead of the next day.

Aelita's blood ran over the sheets, and Jeremy lay serenely on the ground, his head twisted unnaturally. I sighed with pleasure, and stretched again. All this murder was making me tired. I removed Jeremy's keys from his pocket, closed the window, and left the dorm. As I locked it behind me, I looked down at my bloody arm and clothes, and realized I needed to get clean before anyone saw me, and fast.

And just at the worst time, I heard footsteps on the stairs.

__________

Well, that's that. I wonder who could be coming to Jeremy's dorms at a time like this. Review, please! It takes only a moment, and goes a long way.


	6. We're Becoming More

Okay, so the last chapter was still a little gory, I think. This one will be also, as it seems that's the only way to perfectly isllustrate Xana's reign of terror. So, who will be the next to fall?

__________

"Oh, hi, Sissy," stammered Emily, surprised by Sissy's sudden appearance. She almost dropped the tack of papers in her hand, but managed to catch them in time.

"Hello, Emily." Sissy held her arms behind her back, her face betraying no other emotion than slight surprise. "I didn't see you there. I guess I'll just be on my way..."

Emily stared at Sissy's bloody clothes, and her lips started to form a question. "Sissy, why are you...?"

"Oh, this? Don't worry, it's just ketchup. I was talking to Herb about his idea for a hot dog making robot, and how insanely stupid it would be, when the bottle of ketchup that was on the robot exploded. Luckily, most of it got on him, but it was still a lot." Sissy looked down at her reddened clothes and sighed.

Emily wasn't sure if the girl was telling the truth, though. Something about her story seemed odd, but she couldn't put her finger on it. "If you say so.."

Sissy laughed. "I say so. I didn't want to talk to Herb anyway, but Daddy did say to listen to him for once, but look where it got me!" Sissy crossed her arms, then uncrossed them when she felt the sticky wetness. And then Emily noticed what was wrong: Sissy had been talking to Nicolas. Alone. Sissy openly hated the two boys that followed her around, so why was she talking to Herb?

"Oh. Well, have you Seen Nicolas? I was supposed to give him my part of Ms. Hertz's Aquatic Life Project." She held up a stack of papers.

"He went to go clean up. In fact that's where I was headed right now." Sissy sort of looked away for a moment, and Emily felt a little more at ease. So, Sissy hadn't been alone with Herb. It seemed much more believable that she was with both Nicolas and Herb. And yet still, her unease remained.

At the moment, Sissy looked back at Emily. "Umm... do you mind If I give the papers to Nicolas myself? Daddy says I'm supposed to be nicer to people anyway."

"No, it's quite alright," said Emily. She glanced down at the stack, and then thought of having to find Nicolas, giving him the paper, and making sure he understood it. After, she'd have to go all the way back to the dorm room, and only then could she finish reading her book on the French Revolution. "On second thought, sure. That'd help me out a bit."

"Umm... I should say 'Thanks' now, right?"

Emily laughed. You aren't very goos at being grateful, are you?" At last, she felt a little more comfortable around Sissy.

"Yeah, I guess you're right!" Sissy laughed, too, and took the papers from Emily's hand, careful not to snatch them, and continued up the stairs. "I'll tell Nicolas you said 'Hi.'"

"Okay." Emily started to turn the corner, wondering if the vending machines were at least open, so hat this trip wouldn't be a total waste. And then she stopped. The girl's bathroom was on the ground floor. Why was Sissy heading up? She turned back to the stairwell. "Sissy!" she shouted. The girl was no longer in sight.

Emily shrugged to no one, and turned back to the direction of the snack machine. Sissy seemed a little weird, but the way she acted was her business. Emily's business was with the pack of Oreos on B7. With that in mind, Emily forgot the little encounter ever happened.

As I continued up the stairs, I started to wonder if I had made a mistake. I replayed the conversation in my mind, and everything seemed okay. What was wrong, though? What was nagging me?

_The girl's bathroom is on the first floor._

_What? That makes no sense. Jeremy's dorm is on the first floor. Why put the bathrooms on the first floor?_

_Jim says it's a design error from when Kadic was expanded._

_The stupid humans couldn't even figure out where to put a bathroom?_

_...Shut up._

I shut up, and looked around for a bathroom. With mild anxiety, I spotted the door, with the image of a simplified male applied to the door. _Please don't let any boys be in there._

_It would serve you right._

_Huh?_

_If your whole plan came apart because you walked into the wrong bathroom. I still can't get over the fact that you're killing people with my hands. Of all the bodies you could've picked, why mine? Why?_

Sissy seemed close to tears, but there was no way she'd be crying out of these sockets. _Why don't you ask, 'Why not me?'_

Sissy was silent for a moment. She realized she was a likely candidate. She was Sissy, the Lyoko team's unofficial real world enemy. She was tall, yet light, and was already known for being more than a little moody. She had charm and charisma, although no one could admit it, and her toned body was perfectly suited for murder.

_That's sickening. My body was made for fashion._

_So it was made for a frivolous pursuit that will evaporate before you reach the age of forty, or forty-five?_ I pushed open the door slowly, glanced around, and walked inside, locking it behind me. Absent-mindedly, I wondered why a bathroom with multiple stalls would even need a lock.

_Stop making me feel bad._

_Ha! Silly girl. Who knew that it'd be so easy to get your spirits down?_

Sissy had no rebuttal, and my newly formed conscience wondered if I had gone too far. I didn't ponder over that, and instead decided to get clean quickly before Ulrich walked in.

I vomited.

Why was I concerned if _Ulrich_ walked in? Why not any boy who attended school here? I rinsed my mouth out; I was angry at how Sissy's thoughts were bleeding into my mind, and spat into the sink. I had locked the door; how would anyone get in? I bit my lip and fumed, wondering if I was going through a mood swing. Would I be angry for the rest of the day? At whom, and for how long? Anger dulls the mind and makes it weak. I needed clarity of thought for my mission. I grimaced, and set the plug in the sink, waiting for the basin to fill so I could wash my shirt

_Sorry._

_Don't be. It's not your fault. It's my own for being weak enough to let your mind impress my own._

_You're always hard on yourself, aren't you?_

I bit my lip, but the conversation was in my head. _Umm... perhaps a little._

Sissy mentally nodded, and I felt a wave of despair hit me like a tsunami. What was wrong? Why was I becoming so far removed from my impersonal core? I smashed my palm into the sink, and wondered if so much contact with people was making me overload.

_It kills me to say this to someone like you, but lighten up. Take it easy. You're fine._

_Th... Thank you._ I frowned inside. _How am I comforted by a person?_

At the moment, the color of Sissy's feelings changed from placid blue to fiery orange. _How can't you be?_ Sissy demanded in sudden disgust. _You're so concerned about stereotypes that you can't realize a helping hand? What a shame._

_..._

_You know, people are going to think it's me ho killed your enemies. It was my hands, after all._

_Whatever._ I splashed water on my face and up over my arms. I took off my shirt, and turned dipped it into the sink, watching as plumes of crimson fell free and turned the water red. I looked into the mirror momentarily, and noticed something.

_What?_

_Sissy, you..._ I was speechless. I had often browsed the internet whenever I was bored in the supercomputer, and consequently, I knew a lot about random subjects. I had read about masochism, and now I saw it firsthand.

_Say something, won't you?_ asked Sissy, her disembodied voice cold but wavering a little. I could see that she hadn't known I would see her scars, her bruises, that rippled over her chest and stopped short of her midsection. I stared, not caring at how much I was intruding into her life.

_I never thought that you would do this to yourself. That have done this, I mean. I..._ I suddenly had a flash of insight, and before Sissy could Object, I pulled down my skirt, and then the pants underneath.

_Stop calling my things yours._

_Sorry._ I didn't mean it; we were growing closer and closer together with each moment anyway. I stood still as the shirt in the sink sank to the bottom, and the effects of Sissy's mental torment were painted on the canvas of her thighs. Lacerations raced down the sides, and slowly healing scars ran in stripes and crosses over her skin. _Sissy... You shouldn't do this._

_I control my body, not you._ As she said that, I paused for a long time. We both then realized what he had tried to blind ourselves to: we were rubbing off onto each other. I was becoming more caring, less cruel. Sissy was becoming harder, sharper. Pretty soon, we'd both be sort of lukewarm, not the same as we once were.

Her problem was how she'd be after I left her body, and my problem was that these... emotions, and feelings, and thoughts were simply too sweet for me. How would they affect my plans for domination? Would I fall as the three I killed had?

Things were scaring me, and I knew that I had only a little time before they turned ugly.

_I'm getting to you, aren't I?_

_Sadly, yes._ I started to feel the feelings of self-doubt that Sissy must've felt for ages. Would I be able to carry out the blueprints I had carefully thought up? This was an unexpected development. The more I gazed at sissy's scantily clad body in the mirror, the more I realized that there was more to Sissy than I thought. _Sissy, can I ask you something?_

_What?_ she asked, her tone less harsh and more fragile.

_Why?_ Although I asked her, I knew I'd get no answer. I let her remain silent, and traced the pink lines with my fingers, and carefully touched the bruises. I winced at some of them; apparently, they were fresh. _I think I have an idea._

_What?_

_I'm keeping your body from now on, and before you object, that's final._

_Who are you to say what you can and can not do with my body?_ Sissy exclaimed.

_I am Xana. I am final. I am all._ I recanted my mantra to her, and punctuated each thought with a flash of feeling. _This is not good for you, and right now, definitely not good for me. We will find another way for you to get your feelings out. Your body is yours, yes. But when your health is at risk—_

_My health is not at--_

_Shut up and listen._ I felt a bit of my old personality come back. _So many things can result from an open wound, and the scars last a lifetime. Infections, diseases, a heightened immune system. Raised eyebrows, odd looks, whispers behind your back. These 'side-effects' are not good for you, even if self-harm is your medication that gets you through your life._ I paused, halting my tirade for self-reflection and to finish getting all the blood off of me.

_You make a strong argument._

_I don't see why. I should not be concerned about you, just my mission. Something, however, makes me want to help you. So, for however long as I deem fit, you will be mine. I will help you. Somehow._ I wondered at the way I was acting, and where these thoughts and words were coming from.

_Can you at least put my clothes back on me?_

_Ha. Your disgusted at the sight of yourself, aren't you? That's one thing that shows you don't actively like doing this. So why not change?_

_Because I..._

_That was rhetorical._ I grinned, and pulled her pants back up, and replaced her skirt. I pulled the shirt from the water, and wrung it out. I shook it out, twisted it again, and pushed Sissy's muscles farther, trying to squeeze out every drop. I shook it again, and smoothed it out against my pants. _There._

_I guess I should say thanks._

_You're welcome._ I smiled slightly, and pulled the shirt back on. Clean again, I pulled the plug from the sink, watched the water swirl away, and turned on the tap, watching the last traces of Aelita's blood go spiraling into the drain. Hopefully, no one should have any reason to check the boys' room drains.

_Xana, what do you think will happen?_

_What do you mean?_

_We're becoming more and more alike. Do you think we'll eventually become the same person?_

I was silent for a moment while I churned up a theory. _I think so. I just hope we'll still be different enough so that I can still have an interesting conversation with you._ As I grimaced at the thought of friendship, I simultaneously hoped that day wouldn't come. Sissy felt the same way, and I stepped out into the hallway.

__________

Well, that's all for this chapter. Review, people! Thanks.


	7. Crying

And, so, with my usage of the introductory "And so" dwindling, I have finished chapter seven. Enjoy! Or, loathe, depending on your preference. ^_^

__________

Ulrich Stern.

_You wouldn't!_ thought Sissy in horror.

_I will._ I smiled a little at her discomfort and obvious fear for her crush. _Think about it. He doesn't love you. He never will. You can finally stop chasing after him._

_What do you know?_ Sissy fumed in my mind, while growing all the more anxious as I walked down the stairs.

_I know more than you think,_ I began. _For instance, I know all of the teachers' names here. I know all of the students' information. I know the layout of all of Kadic. I know that rooms exist where you've never heard of. I know of towns, cities, countries that you have never known to exist, nor will you ever. I know how you feel about everyone else. I know how everyone else feels about everyone else. I know their desires, their goals, their fears, their lives. I know how to chart direction by the stars, how to get a Cessna off the ground, how to grind level fifteen goblins in MMORPGs. There I things I know which I will never repeat to anyone, anywhere._ I slowed my tone a little, trying to not to brag too much. _I know how you pine for Ulrich, how you write every day in that fluffy pink diary, wondering if he'll ever reciprocate. I know the doubt you feel inside, the want for all of your work to come to an end. I know Sissy. I know._

Sissy was silent.

_Apparently, I didn't know how you hurt yourself. I didn't know that people keep secrets even from their journals, even from themselves. And now, for knowing that secret, I'm..._ It was hard for me to think the phrase. _I'm sorry, Lizbeth._

_It's Sissy,_ she replied, and I got the image of her tuning her head away in frustration.

As I walked towards the science building, I felt a growing sense of alienation from Sissy, as if she was leaving. I wasn't sure if she was leaving me or her body, if she was giving up or giving it away. The thought scared me, and I started to feel... sadness. Maybe sorrow.

_Sissy... are you there?_ I probed for her, wondering if I had gone too far again.

_I'm... I'm here._ Sissy's voice was smaller than before, more fragile. She had lost the sass and attitude I had seen for so many years from behind my numerous Earth-side eyes. Again, I felt pained, as if I was somehow responsible.

_I want you to know that I understand a few things about people, but not everything. And with you, it seems like I understand less and less. What did I say?_

Sissy sighed inside me. _There are just some things that are better left unsaid. You didn't have to tell me some of the things you know. I wasn't serious._

I almost slapped myself on the forehead. _I need to get the hang of multiple emotions and tones._

_You do indeed._

_What did you say?_ I stopped in my tracks, halfway between the dorms and the science building.

_I said, 'You do indeed.'_ Sissy realized what she said, and I saw a comical image of her throwing her hands over her mouth in my mind. _What does 'indeed' mean?_

I took a step forward, then stopped again. _It means something akin to also, or for sure. It adds emphasis. You've never said that before, have you Lizzie?_

_No. Call me Sissy!_

_It seems like I'm..._ I started walking again, my mind jumping to conclusions. _It seems like my vocabulary and thoughts are bleeding into you._

_Bleeding?_

_Yes. It's like..._ I searched my memory and hers for an appropriate scenario. _In second grade, when the picture you drew of the sky got soggy, the marker's ink showed up on the next page. It bled through the paper. Similarly, my own experiences and markings have been written on your mind, and have bled through to you._

Sissy was thinking heavily in our mind as I stopped at a bench to take a momentary break. _If I liked you, the thought would be appealing._

_What thought?_ asked I.

_The thought of both of us coming together and becoming someone sort of alike, and sort of different._

_...True. I, however, openly welcome sharing this body with you, the more I think about it._

_This body?_ I had another visual image, this time of Sissy raising her eyebrow.

_Yes. We're sharing it from now on, so it's ours. I can't say 'my body', as technically, it's not mine._

_Of course not!_

_So, this body. Our body. Don't you like the sound of that, Elizabeth?_

_It's Sissy, and not entirely. After all, this is is my home. I've lived in my body all my life._

_I thought you might feel that way._ I paused. _How do you see me?_ When I felt her confusion, I added, _Gender-wise?_

It took a while for Sissy to respond. In the meantime, I plotted a few scenarios for Yumi's death and stretched languidly on the sun-warmed wooden bench. I sighed with contentment, enjoying the sensations of the human body. There were so many things to do, to feel. I couldn't believe that people were discussing "uploading" their conscience to a computer. How could they live without taste, without taste? I rolled my tongue around in my mouth, a grin forming on my face. I blinked a few times, somewhat amazed at the way the world changed from muted in the sunlight to dark red behind my eyelids.

_I would call you a girl._

_Why?_

_You sound like a girl to me._

_I'm a machine, so I'm probably just becoming more like you. Seeing as you're a girl, I'm likely picking up your vibes and attributing them to myself._

_That... that makes sense. I think. I only really caught half of that, but... We're sort of merging together, right?_

_Right._

_How long will it be until we're not even thinking of each other, but just thinking?_

I did a few calculations, a little annoyed at the speed of Sissy's brain. It surely wasn't as fast as the supercomputer...

_Hey!_

_Sorry. I'm thinking we have four hours before we both become the same._

Sissy scanned my thoughts. _Isn't that the same amount of time you have to leave my body?_

_Surprisingly, yes. Hey, how did you do that?_

_I don't know._ I knew she meant it – she hadn't kept secrets from me yet, so I had no reason to believe she did know... something. I frowned, then smiled, and then frowned again, feeling the muscles of Sissy's face.

_Enjoying yourself?_ she thought loudly, and I jumped. She laughed, and I scowled involuntarily. _Whatever._

_See? You're sounding like me. That's scary._

_Heh. Pretty soon, you won't be thinking that._

_In that case, don't you have some people to kill or something?_ she blurted. She then clamped her hands over her mouth. _Sorry,_ was the muffled afterthought.

I closed my eyes, and sort of... turned around, in my mind, as if I were turning to face her. I felt dizzy, but it straightened out after Sissy presented an image of herself. _Lizzy..._

_Sissy!_

_Sissy... you're going to miss them, aren't you?_

_Miss who?_ she replied, folding her arms.

I took a step to the left, starting to walk a circle around her. _You know, Odd, Jeremy, Aelita, Yumi..._ I choked on the last name. _Ulrich..._

_Of course not! They were annoying._ Sissy followed me with her eyes, then her body as I walked around her.

_No, they really weren't. I think I get it now._ I let the sympathy I suddenly felt wash over my face for a moment. _You just wanted to be part of their group, but since people dislike what they can't have..._

_I'm not like that!_

_No, I get it, Sissy. It's okay. Everyone wants to belong to a group, whether it's a political party or a classroom clique._

_What about you?_ Sissy's words were involuntarily piercing. _Sorry, I didn't mean it like..._

_I said 'Everyone', remember?_ I felt like looking away. _Everyone._

We were silent again, and I suddenly had a flash of insight. Sissy noticed it.

_What did you just figure out?_

_Oh, something important, but first... Quick question: Who do I look like to you?_

_You look like... Like me!_ Neither of us had realized it, even as we were talking, that I looked like her. _H... How?_

_I don't..._ I trailed off, facing Sissy. Before she could object, I reached out my hands, grabbed her shoulders, and pulled her into a hug. I opened my part of her mind to her, and gave her one command: _Cry._

_What? Why?_

_You know you want to. So cry. I may not be completely human, but I'm here._

Sissy couldn't feign ignorance, and the tears started flowing. It was all surreal: both of us were sort of daydreaming, and had our minds linked together, in the same body, as one person. We were both imagining, oh so vividly, Sissy crying, and me holding her. She sank into my body, a perfect mirror of her own, and gritted her teeth against the grief that she had unconsciously held at bay. She wailed as it poured out of her, and wracked her body, a perfectly projected image of her emotions. I only held her tight and let her cry, uncertain of exactly what to do in such a situation, but trying my best to be there for her, however I could.

_Why did you have to kill them?_ she shouted at me, while clinging to my chest. _Was this the only way? Huh?_ She sobbed, uncovering her innermost thoughts about my plans. I never thought of how they would affect her, but now I knew. I felt her sadness, and kissed her forehead.

_It was indeed._ I frowned then. _I really am sorry, believe me. I recall the countless hours I had spent evaluating my plan, scrutinizing it, refining it. And then there were all the ways I thought I could circumvent it, all the flaws, anything that could cause it to fail. Not only that, but I tried anything possible to prevent me from killing the Lyoko warriors. But all in all, this is all I can do: kill the Lyoko children._

_You're such a murderer._

_I'm sorry. Deep down, I don't want to kill anyone. For my dreams to be reality, however, I need to kill everyone._

Sissy had slowed to hiccups and sniffles now, and kept her arms wrapped around me as I slowly sank to the imaginary ground below us. _It's all about you, isn't it?_

_No. It's all about the world. Do I have to retell everything I've explained?_

_No; I heard._

_I don't ask your forgiveness for what I've done, and what I'm about to do._

_I won't forgive you anyway._

_However... However, I do want you to know one thing. I am Xana. I, by nature, try to take the least bloody, most efficient and most beneficial route. If there was any other way, I would've gladly taken it._

Sissy was incredulous. _I've heard it all before._

_No, you haven't. I loved the ones I've killed. I love Ulrich and Yumi, also. It pains me to kill them. It pains me more, though, to watch them suffer at my hands as they try to stop me as I try to make this world a better place. It was inevitable that one of us was going to cave firstl. Perhaps I will, too, in time. But they will be the first to fall as I do what needs to be done._

_I don't believe you._

_That's okay with me._ I smiled ironically, and pulled her face up, closer to my own.

_What, you're going to make me kiss myself now? How does_ this _help the world?_

_No, of course not. I want you to look into my eyes, and tell me if you think I'm lying when I say this murder spree hurts... when I say that I'm thinking clearly... when I say that I am making a difference._

As we gazed into each other's eyes, I felt clarity and understanding flow between us. _All I see,_ Sissy replied weakly, _is a girl so crazy she thinks she's right. Not only that, but a weirdo. I mean, come on! What sort of person likes to say things in thirds?_ She scowled, and I smiled again.

_Thanks for understanding._ I touched my nose to hers.

_I never said I under..._ And then, I _did_ kiss her. We were going to build a beautiful world together, and we both knew it.

_My end... it justifies my means,_ I thought. _It justifies my means... my love._ I released her lips, opened my eyes, and squinted against the shock of sunlight.

_I hate you._ Sissy curled up beside me in my mind, and touched her lips. _They tingle._

As I walked the rest of the way to the science building, I touched my own, my physical ones. _Yes... they do... Lizbeth._

__________

Well... that was a strange chapter. I explored a lot of things I ha going through my mind recently, so it might seem weird in places. I hope it makes sense overall, though.

You know the drill! Hit the review button!


	8. Last to Fall

Eew, Xana. Just when I thought you couldn't get any worse, you go and kiss Sissy in your imagination. Sicko. Oh, and warning: This chapter is a little gory, like Aelita's death. You've been warned. Also, please review at the end. ^_^

__________

I paused for a second, as I realized that Yumi had to be killed first, not Ulrich. She could return to the past... But then again, returning to the past doesn't erase deaths, only injuries. However, it would really suck to have to find another host body. The Lyoko crew would suspect Sissy again... and likely anyone else. Not only that, but my plan was already crippling for them; There was no way that that Ulrich and Yumi could explain the deaths of their friends without drawing attention to the supercomputer. They couldn't just hide the bodies, either. They'd be accomplices in their own friend's deaths.

It was vital that my plan worked right, for them and for me. Mainly for me, of course, but it was for them as well. Everything would be perfect. I would rule with my newfound queen, and they'd be dead. No one would oppose me, and no one would worry about trying such a thing.

I opened the door to the science building, and momentarily took stock of my surroundings. There was a janitorial closet about halfway down the hall, and I got a wash of positive emotion from Sissy, which was quickly suppressed. _Don't tell me that something happened in that closet..._ I involuntarily raised an eyebrow, as if she were in front of me.

_It... it was a date of mine. Back when I was a lot younger._ I was silent. _Nothing happened! We just kissed, and that was all._

_Don't make me probe your memories..._

_No! I'm serious!_

I laughed at her plaintive tone and turned away from the door, and rested my sights on the eight rooms that branched off from the main hall. _Where do you think they are?_

_I don't know. Probably the first room, knowing how lazy Yumi is._

_Oh? Lazy, is she?_

_Yeah. She likes to make things as simple as possible._

_That's not lazy. That's smart. The less complicated something is, the less the chance of a accident happening. For example, this entire thing I'm doing with the Lyoko members. If I made this more complicated, I might've slipped up a long time ago. This way, I can be confident that all will go well._

_If you say so..._

_You don't believe me?_ I asked, my tone harsh yet curious.

_I was just kidding, you know._ And then, we both were silent as we stood in the empty hallway. In retrospect, the architecture was quite beautiful. Roman arches decorated the two double doors at the ends of the building, and ornate architecture depicting different aspects of science were engraved and painted across the ceiling. Above one door, there was a fish for "Aquatic Science", and at another, a set of formulas for the door which read "Physics". It was pretty nice. I snapped back to the matter at hand.

_Change of plans, Lizbeth._

_It's Sissy!_

_You really don't care either way. Anyway, Yumi will be disposed of first._

_I know I heard your whole little conversation with yourself._

_Oh, right..._

_Anyway, I'm going to be your queen, right? What would that make you? King?_

_Who said I'm male in the first place?_

_Good point._ Sissy stretched and laid down, her supine making me momentarily feel protective. Wait... Protective? How much of her was bleeding into me? How long did we have before we were one?

_Speaking of which, how can you be my king if we're the same person?_

_I don't know. Perhaps we'll be the same, with two bodies. I'll figure something out._

_You'd better. I'd hate referring to myself as if I were you._

I chuckled ominously. _We'll see._

* * *

The door to the first science room opened inward. Sissy poked her head in momentarily, and then closed the door again.

Science room two yielded more fruitful results. Sissy smiled when she saw Ulrich and Yumi sitting at a workbench, their backs to the door.

"Yumi!" said Sissy, a little too loudly. Both Lyokians jumped a foot off their stools, then exhaled when they saw Sissy.

"What do you want, Miss Perfect?" asked Yumi.

"Actually, I wanted to speak with you. Is that okay?" She looked at the papers strewn across the desk, then back at Yumi. "I mean, if you're not busy..."

Ulrich and Yumi both pointedly looked down at the desk, then back at Sissy. "We're busy," they both said.

"I didn't really mean that... I need to talk to Yumi. Like, right now."

Yumi and Ulrich exchanged a glance, then Yumi screeched her stool back and got up. They both walked into the hall, Yumi's face calm and cool while Sissy wore a barely suppressed smile.

"Okay, what's up, Sissy?"

Sissy finally smiled, and it felt great after holding it in for so long. "I wanted you to know that I'm done playing around. This is serious now." Her grin stretched wider, and her eyes formed slits.

Yumi stared. After a moment, she replied, "Okay... Is that what is so important?"

Sissy stopped smiling. "Actually, no. Tell me, do you love Ulrich?"

Yumi rolled her eyes, and stamped her foot in annoyance. "Sissy, you drag me out of my tutoring lesson with Ulrich just to ask me _if I like him?_"

"No. Just answer my question, Yumi. It's important, and your answer will decide the fate of the world." Sissy's face held none of its previous joviality. "No, Yumi, don't look away as if I'm some... child. Even though I don't act like it, there's more to me. Now tell, me, do you love Ulrich?"

"Sissy, this is not what I need right—"

The girl slammed her hand into the wall besides Yumi's head, and veins stood out on her temples. "Yumi, this is more serious than you realize. Tell me the truth right now. Do. You. Love. Ulrich." Her question was now a statement, and her words were punctuated by an increase in her volume. Both girls were sure that Ulrich could hear them easily, as well as anyone else who was in the vicinity. They momentarily had a silent conversation between the two of them, and Yumi knew that something, anything, was about to go down.

"I... I do." Yumi gulped, her mind a world of questions at Sissy's display of power.

"Thank you... thank you very much." Sissy exhaled, and brought her other hand to the other side of Yumi's head, who recoiled a slight distance. With her words soft and low, she intoned, "You just doomed the world, and thanks to your answer, your Ulrich will have the gift of never seeing you die."

"Sissy, what game are you playing?" Yumi stared back into the same eyes that stared at her.

"Sissy? I am Xana. I play no games."

* * *

As Yumi's eyes went wide with shock, Sissy pressed her hands together, and started squeezing on Yumi's skull. For Yumi, her life was officially a nightmare. She was staring death in the eyes, and she knew it. Her vision started to compress, as her eyes moved closer and closer together, oh so slowly. The headache she had from studying earlier was now immensely worse. She tried to yell, or shout, or something, but her words caught in her throat, and she couldn't even move her arms to try and push Sissy – no, Xana – away.

Her brain screamed run, but she was paralyzed with fear. All she knew was that Xana was winning, and that her comrades must be trying to stop him.

_Don't let my death be in vain_, she thought, and then her mind finally fell apart.

Xana moved closer to the dying girl, and pressed even harder. Yumi's face was turning red, and then pale as all the blood rushed away from the surface, as if running away from the entity destroying its body. Xana grinned when he heard the case fracture, when the bone started to splinter. The brain inside was quickly becoming nothing more than a pulsing mass of tissue, and Yumi was long unconscious.

_This is taking too long_, thought Xana, and he stopped for a moment. He pulled his hands away, watching as her body started to slump forward, and then threw his hands together, and her head imploded with a satisfying squelch. Blood sprayed from the back of her head as I slammed it repeatedly into the wall, trying to make sure she was completely gone. As Yumi's heart stopped beating, the remains of her head started to slide apart, exposing the smothered remains. Xana held a grim satisfaction as her face was no longer recognizable, and her body was anonymous.

Xana shivered and stretched, and rested his hands on Yumi's chest. Smiling mysteriously, he felt the warmth slowly drain from her body, until what was once Yumi was now only a corpse. The cool body felt good, and Xana stopped smiling. He still wasn't completely done yet. He walked across the wall to the janitor's closet, and tried the door.

It was locked.

Mustering his strength, he turned the handle again, until the internal parts broke and the knob turned easily, if not raggedly.

It was open.

He walked back, grabbed Yumi's body, and tossed it casually into the closet. He frowned when he saw the trail of blood that led straight to the door, but for now, the hiding place would have to do. He closed the door on the fallen girl, and paused to take a much needed deep breath. He was ready.

With all of the major players now out of the way, Xana now turned his sights on the last Lyokian that had to fall – Ulrich Stern.

* * *

I let Yumi's body sink to the ground, her head a mangled and misshapen mess of what it once was. Sissy grimaced inside me, and I agreed that her death was rather sad. I leaned down, and put my finger to her bloody neck, irrationally making sure I had succeeded.

I had.

I glanced around me, suddenly worried that someone had saw. I had been leaning over her body for a while now... Thankfully, there was no one around, and mentally playing the murder in my mind, I noticed no one's approach. I listened carefully, and even by augmenting Sissy's ears, I could only hear Ulrich's faint, oblivious breathing.

Right. Ulrich. I shivered momentarily, and waited for Sissy's voice to tell me that I was wrong.

_You aren't wrong._

_Oh?_

_Do what you have to do. I won't interfere. I mean, it isn't as though I could anyway..._ I had a sudden image of Sissy looking down and to her side, as if apathetic or defeated.

_I will._ I looked down at my hands, coated with the remnants of Yumi's head. Half of my stomach turned, and the other half stayed still. Weird. I turned around and no

With my mind intent on my goal, I reached for the door handle, turned it silently, and slipped inside.

Ulrich's head snapped around when he heard my approach, and I hid my bloodied hands behind my back, and focused on completing what would probably be the worst task of Sissy's and my life: the final murder of the five, and the final murder of Sissy's beloved.

I sighed, and walked slowly to the brunette whose eyes were trained coolly on me. Even now, he showed no reciprocation of my love.

Of Sissy's love.

What kind of thought was that?

I shook my head, and Ulrich raised an eyebrow in question.

"Ulrich, I..."

"What? I hope you didn't come all this way just to tell me you like me again."

"No... That's true, but no." I closed my eyes, wondering if anyone would find the bodies of his friends before I finished this one last mission. I hoped they wouldn't, and told myself they wouldn't. I don't think I would've gotten through the moment any other way. Something inside me wanted to stop, and it told me that I could at least leave one member of the Lyoko team alive. One would pose no threat. Ulrich would pose no threat.

No. My thoughts were cold, and I could let no compassion blind my judgments.

"Ulrich."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's my name." He smirked at my halted actions.

"I just wanted you to know that all your friends loved you. Especially Yumi."

"What do you mean by 'loved'?"

I opened my eyes, almost grinning at his innocent expression, brimming with all of the conclusions he was jumping to and evaluating. What a beautiful mind.

"I mean..." I made myself look flustered for a moment, which was just enough to make him loosen his guard for a moment. And then, I struck, and closed my fist around his neck. His eyes went wide and he lashed out at me with an arm. I responded by hugging him close and restraining him. "I mean what I say. They loved you. When they were alive." I closed my hand tightly, watching as his eyes opened wide and his face paled.

"I am Xana." I released his body, and jabbed a hand into his body just below the sternum. "I am final." I sank my nails into his skin with both hands, and blood ran down from his neck and chest, and his clothes turned darker. "I am all." I then focused intently, and pulled his head up. With my left hand closed around his ribs, and my right closed around his neck, Ulrich was in obvious pain. I wrenched upward again, and satisfyingly heard a pop as his neck cracked. He would've cried out in pain, had his vocal cords been functional.

His mind cracked too, as he realized that he was going to die, and there was no way out. He reminded me so much of Yumi it was sickening. They both had the same scared, yet calm expression in their eyes, as if they really expected Jeremy or Aelita to reverse things and get them out. Every time it was like that. I'd be so close to finally ending their existence, and then that blasted wall of light would come and swallow the universe, and all was for naught.

"I loved you, too," I said, my voice eerily like Sissy's and my own. And then, I flipped his body over an around, and slammed him face first into the ground. I then ripped away at his shirt, and felt along his back. His lungs were still working, but barely. When I twisted my hand around to grab his hands a moment ago, I must've shredded some things up. Oops.

I smiled at the wonder of the human body, and looking down at his spine, thought of how this boy below me must feel. With his life hanging in the balance, he must have been waiting for that light, for it to erase the events of the afternoon. But alas, for we both knew that returns to the past do not erase deaths. Four people had died, and the number would rise to five before I set my other plans in motion.

I snapped out of my thoughts to kneel on Ulrich's back, and think for a moment. What would be the best way to destroy this youth?

My mind acted for me, and I simply stood up, raised my leg, and stepped forcefully onto his neck. As every vertebra along his spine fractured from the impact, I was sure I destroyed bones we didn't even know he had. I mean, what sort of stomp completely fractures a spine, plus his rubs and left humerus? I'm surprised his skull didn't shatter along with the rest of him.

I picked up his sagging body, which seemed as though it was made of jelly. Setting my face close to his, I looked into the eyes of the last to fall, and wondered if he was dead. He was.

So, with my final mission accomplished, it was time to head home.

But... I had to pause and think about everything. I mean, I just destroyed the entire Lyoko team. I had finally won. After years of being beat over and over and over, everything was finally mine. Anyone with the power to oppose me no longer existed. I was elated, and I jumped up and laughed. Staring at the ceiling for a moment, I thought about what this would mean for me in the coming years. And for the first time in my existence, I felt pure joy.

It was with good reason, then, that my mantra came to mind unbidden. _I am Xana. I am final. I am all._

__________

Well, with all of the major players out of the way, what will Xana do next?


	9. A Moment to Think

Xana has weird ways of killing people. You'd think a knife in the back would be enough, but no, he has to be so dramatic. D: Oh well. Blame the writer, I guess.

__________

I stood over the body of my fallen opponent, and felt a sense of satisfaction... although something else started to tug at me. What was it? It was as though I was having second thoughts about going through with my plan, even though it had already been carried out.

_That's called guilt, Xana._

_No, I don't think it's guilt. it's something different._

_If you say so._

_What do you mean?_

Sissy was silent as I tore my eyes away from the facedown, broken body. I looked around the room for a closet, or a cabinet, somewhere I could hide Ulrich's corpse. There was only the window, and that would not be a good idea.

_I mean, I've felt guilt before... Many times. and for sure, you're feeling guilt._ Her tone became soothing as I felt a tiny sense of panic. _You've realized that this is not what you really wanted, right? You think that what you did is wrong... right?_

_Thank you, Mom,_ I said. _Of course you're right._ I paused, feeling a torrent of words crashing against the dams of my thoughts. _Is that what you want me to say? Because honestly, I think you're right. Maybe I went about this all wrong. I am a machine. I was built by imperfect hands. I am imperfect. My existence is imperfect. Nothing is perfect! Maybe this was the wrong way, after all. It could also be the best way. It might even be one of the many means to an end, that I just happened to pick because it's the most violent way, that makes people suffer the most! I am nothing, and in my hunger for revenge, I took what very well may be the worst course. I... I am no better than a human in that regard._

As I picked up the shadow of the boy who once stood so mightily before me, I felt a little piece of respect for him. He had the guts to stand against me. He was only a child. He...

He was dead. I shrugged, letting my cold heart once again keep me warm, and tossed him over my shoulder, wondering if both bodies would fit in the janitor's closet.

_They will, Xana,_ replied Sissy. Again, I felt guilt, even at hearing her voice. _And stop beating yourself up. You picked a course to take, so follow it._ Her somewhat cheery voice really annoyed me, but she was right. I had a job to do, and it needed to be completed. _I'm not through, though. To come this far, and then suddenly stop, deifes all reason. What's with you? It seems like more and more, you're losing sight of your goal._

_Well, what's with you? I thought you didn't want me to do this. Didn't you say that the whole idea was stupid, that there are better ways?_

_I did... but then again, I did have 20 days in solitary confinement to think it over, thanks to a certian someone I know..._ I got the mental image of Sissy sticking her tongure out at me._ And when I thought it over, your plan made more and more sense. I wanted to help you. I mean, I still do. I'll do whatever it takes to turn this planet into something better than what it is._

_Oh? Even though you'll die along with the rest of the human species?_

_Of course. At least when I die, I'll know it was for a good cause. Besides, we both know that you won't kill me. You like me too much._

_I don't like you._

_You love me._

_No, I... I don't even know anymore._

_Well, I know, and isn't that enough?_ Sissy grinned, and sank into the confines of her mind. She was so loyal, so beautifully loyal.

I opened the door, checked the hallway, then walked across to the closet. As I threw his body inside, I felt a momentary wave of nausea from Sissy... or was it my own? I really couldn't tell. With passion and elation and guilt and joy all phasing through me, I was aimless.

Aimless people are sheep.

Sheep get torn apart by wolves.

I could not be aimless. With my brain searching for the best way to feel about this situation, I grabbed a roll of paper towels from a shelf and tore off a sheet. With Windex in hand, the hallway floor was clean in no time, and I shoved the soiled squares into a bucket in the corner.

_Well, that was quick and dirty,_ laughed Sissy. _I bet you didn't even plan to do that._

_So what if I didn't?_ I asked, fighting the temptation to pour bleach on the tiles. It'd be ineffective, so I just closed the janitor's closet and left the building.

_It just shows how quick you think. It's interesting._

_How?_

_Well... I'm a little more sure about our future, knowing that you can fight off an threat instantly, like Emily. That could've gone way wrong._

_But... but you told me what to say!_ I replied.

_So? You decided to confront her. I would've ran, and obviously screw your plan up._

_True... Wait, you doubted me? That's pretty sweet of you._

_How can distrust be sweet?_

_Doubt makes for a strong will. If I make a major decision, you'll think about it first, and point out any flaws._ I thought for a moment. _Just if I say do something, do it, okay?_

_What do you want from me? To doubt or do?_

_Both!_ I laughed a little, and walked towards the forest. Let's see... Aelita and Jeremy were in Jeremy's room, where nobody ever goes... Not even Jim these days. IThe whole room was basically a fire hazard, with all those cords and parts everywhere. Yumi and Ulrich were in the closet back at school, and the janitor is sick this week anyway with the flu. Speaking of which, it's been going around lately, so if the Lyoko team is missing, no one will think much of it.

_Odd was in one of these trees, I think. Can we stop by and see him again before we go to... where are we going, anyway?_

_No, we can't. The longer we're in this world, the more dangerous things are... Actually, yes, we can._ I smiled for a moment.

_Okay... but where are we going?_ Sissy pleaded.

I grinned._ Home._

__________

Thank you, Xana, for showing that your conscience does exist.

Now, for all of you reading this. Review, please. It only takes a moment, and you can do it anonymously if you don't feel like signing in.

Please, I'm begging you! ;_;


	10. Love and Fission

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Here we are, in chapter 10, which should be the last chapter in the story of the fallen. Let us see how Xana proceeds after he realizes that he has won…

__________

I finished saying my last words to Odd's corpse, my face twisted in... regret? Remorse? ...Happiness? Something felt strange, and it was reflected over my body as I began to sweat, and took a step back from the tree where Odd's corpse was entangled in.

_I don't know what's wrong..._ Sissy's thoughts pierced through mine unexpectedly, and I jumped. _Are you okay?_

_I... I don't know. I was so sure that everything was fine, but now something seems wrong._

_Emily. That's the problem. You're still hung up on how Emily almost saw through your ruse. We even heard her shout that the girl's dorm was on the lower floor. Don't worry, though, you're invincible. I know Emily, and she'll just forget the whole thing even happened. Trust me, okay?_

Oddly enough, her little explanation assuaged me, and I felt my shoulders loosen, then my spine, then my whole body. I could do this. Why was I second-guessing myself yet again? There would be no room for weakness in my new reign, so I should nip this little bud of uncertainty.

_Ooh, what a poet._

_Whatever. And what's with you, anyway? It seems like you're trying to flatter me more and more lately._ I turned away from the path and headed towards the familiar clearing with the manhole cover, the same one that the Lyoko warriors had gone through so man times in order to stop me. Now, I was the one about to climb into the sewers, and it wasn't to stop an attack. It was to stop one.

_Nothing is really 'with' me. I keep reviewing you over and over in my mind, and the more I think about it, the more attractive you become._

_Oh really?_ I set the manhole cover back in place and continued climbing down the rungs.

_Like I said before, what was twenty days of solitary for me gave me a lot of time to reflect. Not only that, but I love how you're such a solitary creature. I mean, you're always reflecting on yourself, and analyzing everything you do... It's like you're searching for any sign that your plan will fail, even though you never hesitate to remind me of the efficacy, righteousness, and brilliance of your plans._

_Your expanding vocabulary never ceases to amaze me... and alarm me._

_That's okay._

_You know, if I could, I'd kiss you right now._

_Why?_

_I don't know. Honestly, I don't know._

_Aww, is someone crushing on me?_

_Of course; we've known that for a while now._

_But haven't you only known me for a day?_

_For me, it feels like much longer. Not only that, but I've been watching you for a while now... I mean, you and everyone else, of course._

_And I thought I was special for a moment._

_No, you're special. I just don't want a compliment to go to your head. If you start feeling mighty, I might start feeling mighty, and I need to stay down-to-Earth so I can carry out my plans without becoming megalomaniacal, and therefore fallible._

_Hey, we've got time to get you out of this body, Xana..._

I thought about that for a moment, and hopped across a flowing stream of sewage... eew. _Umm Sissy, remember; I'm going to be helping you, remember?_

_What do you mean?_

_Your body is going to see better days. I might not be in control of it when I get my own body, but I'm going to be watching you._

_Aww, my own knight in rusty armor._ Sissy fawned and made smooches at me, and I laughed as I face faulted.

_That was sort of pointed, wasn't it?_ I the frowned as I hopped the next stream, and saw the other ladder a ways off. _How did you know that I had plans to get my own body, anyway?_

_I don't know. Was it just a thought that bled into my mind?_

_Probably..._ I popped off the second manhole cover and climbed out into daylight, squinting against the sunlight that reflected from the gleam of the factory. _Okay, when I get my own body, I'll kiss you, okay?_

_Okay. It better be a good one, or I'm leaving you!_

_Ha!_ Sissy could tell odd jokes. _By the way, do you still think I'm a girl?_

Sissy was silent as I dashed through the factory's doors and grabbed a rope, sliding down to the lower level with my sleeves to prevent rope burn. My palms were still hot and I huffed on them while Sissy laughed in my ears. _Look at you, all hot and bothered!_

_Oh, you're making fun with puns, huh? I guess this whole thing is rather PUNny, eh?_ Sissy started guffawing and sank to her knees in my head. _Perhaps I should call you RaPUNzel, no? Maybe you could play football and be a PUNter?_ By now, she was rolling around, and I was finding it hard to keep a straight face, no matter how hard I tried. I was openly laughing by the time I punched in the sequence to go down to the lab room, and we were both in varying levels of humor as I shakily sat down at the computer.

_Oh... Okay, here we go._ I cleared my throat, chuckled again, and started to type in the commands that would split my mind from Sissy's, and then create my own body. I smiled at Jeremy for customizing the computer interface so thoroughly. I don't know why he made a program for creating bodies, but there was one, and I could use it to make my own.

_So, how should I look?_

_I think... tall. Strong, and slim, and handsome and smart..._

_I'm being serious, Sissy._

_So am I. Let's see... Definitely tall, but not overly so, so you can hold me easily. The skin color is up to you, I guess. Sort of rakish hair, right? And blue eyes, no matter what._

_Oh? Why blue?_

_I don't know. I just really, really like blue eyes. Or grey._

_As long as it's unnatural, right?_

_Yeah._ Sissy paused. _Wait, I don't mean to say that you're unnatural, I just..._

_No, it's fine I get it. You've always liked weird eyes, right?_

_...Right_

_Okay._ I got the build set just right... and then I noticed what had been bugging me: I couldn't pick between a female body or a male body.

_Sissy..._

_I know._

We stayed in silence for a minute or two, each of us thinking about my choice. As a machine, I was neither male nor female. I'd always thought of myself as male, but lately I had been thinking of myself as female more and more. I could tell that Sissy attributed that to the fact I had taken over _her_ mind, so naturally her gender would rub off on me.

I thought it was simply my inbuilt horizons changing. It happened sometimes; I could suddenly change my "neutral" disposition, whether sullen and pessimistic or happy and gleeful. For me, this switch of gender was normal. I was used to such.

The real problem, which neither of us wanted to admit, was that we both were thinking about society, and what they would think. Although we were going to tear it down, society would look down on us if I were female. The world was changing, but that unspoken taboo of same-sex relationships was nagging at the corners of our minds. I had only the faintest thought about it, as I was rather ambivalent on the whole issue.

It impacted Sissy much more, though, considering that she was the most human. I could tell she didn't want to care one way or the other, but her mind said otherwise.

Surprisingly, she wanted me to be female. The only dissenting vote in the parliament of her mind was the world. What would they say? What possible reason could they have for disapproving when they were so imperfect and callous themselves?

_Screw it. I vote for female,_ thought Sissy.

_Me, too. female bodies offer advantages to male bodies... but differences as well._

_You're viewing this from a strictly physiological standpoint, aren't you?_

_Yes. I'd like a male body for the improvements of strength, but female bodies carry a higher degree of flexibility. I am an avid gymnastics fan, so..._

_Don't you realize that there are male gymnasts?_

_Of course. I just prefer the female form._ I was silent for a moment. _Hold on while I do some second level thinking._

_Second level? Okay..._ Sissy suddenly felt a deep sense of vertigo. I leaned her head on the computer monitor, and focused. Time seemed to shift, as if the entire universe slowed down. Sissy felt it all speed to a sickening stop, and then reverse, so that time felt natural again.

To put it simply, it was weird.

I had slowed her sense of time so that she was taking a very short amount of time to do things that would normally take a day or so. In what was a day to her, I weighed the benefits and detriments to either sexes and made my decision. To Sissy, however, it was all of a few minutes.

_Have you decided?_ she asked.

_Yeah. I'll be a male._

_Why?_

_I plan on having kids._ I paused. _We'll see how it goes._

Sissy was again silent. _Okay._

_You're okay with it, just like that?_

_I'd like to have your kids._

I blushed involuntarily, and knew that she was blushing as well. _Wow, so even what you feel is private leaked across to my view of such._

_Hey!_

_What? It's just an observation._ I grinned and added a few finishing touches. _There. What do you think?_

I smiled a little as Sissy went over the details of the body I had planned, appraising it, watching it. _That'll work._

_Excellent._ I smiled, made sure everything was set right, and moved on to the next few programs, which would separate us and give me my own body. everything had to be just right, and so far, it was. I mentally noted how bad it'd be if we came this far just to have it blow up in our face.

_Thank you._

I stopped typing. _For what?_

_For thinking of us as... 'us'._

_Oh. Don't mention it._

_Well, anyway, thanks. It means something to me._

_Okay, then._ I smiled nervously, wondered how badly Sissy and I were bleeding into each other, and pressed the Enter key. The computer started a countdown, and I headed towards the elevator. _You ready to get your body back?_

_Am I ever. I'm dying to eat something with my own hands._

I laughed, and hit the button on the elevator. With another grin on my face, I hugged my host, and thought to her, _Thank you for helping me._ In a few moments, I'd have my own body, and I could really hug Sissy.

_It's been tough. I don't know how you convinced me to betray everyone. But... I'm willing to help you build a new world. Everyone knows we need that._

_Good._ I stepped out of the elevator doors and in to the scanner room. I stepped into the leftmost scanner, and waited until the generous time on the countdown had run dry.

It was time.

They say that when you sleep, your mind repairs itself, and unravels, so that it can be quickly woven into whatever tapestry you plan on making the next day.

It felt like that the third program activated, and I was torn away from Sissy. I felt untangled, silky and straight. But along with that, there was a deep feeling of emptiness. I missed whatever connections there were between us, and I couldn't wait to build some new ones.

And then, program four initialized. When it finished doing all the necessary calculations, it started weaving a human body.

I never realized just how intelligent Franz Hopper was. He created a system where the human mind could be uploaded to a computer, and the body stored as data for reconstitution. This was the stuff science fiction authors only dreamed of. Here I was, living the reality.

In a few minutes, the new body was complete, and program three came back into play. Instead of taking me out of a mind, it plunged me into one, and I felt a momentary sensation of pain as everything clicked into place.

A few more programs did some tidying up and verification, and the body I was in sank against the wall.

I was complete.

Through the metal walls of the scanner, I heard the leftmost scanner hiss as it finished it's own plans. Mine hissed and opened, and I stepped out, albeit shakily. Being created was an experience like no other.

Sissy's scanner opened, and she stared at me, her eyes clear and unmarked by my presence.

"Xana!" She reached for me, tripped on the bottom lip, and fell into my arms.

"That's my name, don't wear it out," I replied, and grinned.

"You look..."

"Amazing? Handsome?"

"Stuck-up," she sneered, and we laughed. Everything went okay, and was going to be okay. We were done with this part of the plan. The next big thing would be killing all the people on this floating world, and for that, we needed to be separate. Separate, but together. Siss had benefits as my right hand, and I had benefits, too; I was teaming up with a human.

"Tell me, does this bother you?"

"Does what bother me?" she asked, innocent as ever.

"You're about to betray your entire species. You are going to usher in a new world where only the so-called artificial intelligences live." I lowered my face closer to hers, and stared into her dark, cheery eyes. "You are going to be a mass murderer, voluntarily, and there will only be the two of us for a long time. Can you handle that?"

She looked back up at me, and answered, "I can. I'm willing to turn my back on everyone just to be with you."

I facepalmed. "Wait, I think we've been over this, by why? Why would you? What can I possibly offer that your death can't?"

"Love. I'd rather be loved than dead."

"So you're only following the strongest side?"

"No; I'm following the side I love. I love you because you have such high hopes, and because you ill stop at nothing to acheive them. All you want is to do, really. You want to both create and destroy, to breathe life into rocks and strike down those who disagree."

"You're beginning to sound like me now."

"I know. Not only that, but I love even hold a part of you is amazing in itself. I can say that I stood next to the greatest mind the world ever saw. No... No, I can stay I stand next to him. You do plan on us living forever, right? Me and you, doing whatever is necessary to achieve our goals..."

"You speak more like me all the time."

"I'm glad." Sissy frowned then, and I could see her mind working away at something. Finally, she asked, "Why all the sudden questions?" She lowered her gaze and voice, and her next words sent a rush of sorrow and pleasure through me. "Am I not good enough?"

"I grinned, and wrapped her tight in my arms, trying to get her as close to me as possible without crushing her. "Oh, look at you... I know you know that I must be absolutely sure that we're going to make this work. It's nothing against you."

"No, I understand. Why have a right-hand lady that you can't trust?" Sissy smiled, and stood on tiptoe to meet my gaze levelly. "Trust me. I'll do fine." With that, we kissed, and I could tell she was right. No matter what, Sissy would be strong enough to brave the storm and pull through, both as a partner and a wife.

Could I tell all of that from a simple kiss? The technological part of me said no, but my human body said yes, and I returned her kiss. Human bodies are interesting things. Nothing virtual could compare to Sissy's touch.

We were going to carve a world for ourselves. "We're going to do okay together, right Elizabeth?"

""It's Sissy." She kissed me again, and I felt my human heart skip a beat. "And yes, we are." She stared at me for a moment, and I grew uncomfortable.

"What?"

"Isn't it ironic? You're gaining a human body in your pursuit to destroy them."

"It is ironic... And slightly wrong in a cosmic sort of sense. When you think about it, this could be called a --"

"Shh... You talk too much. There's something else... you love me, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Isn't that a human emotion?"

I sghed. "Yes... no... it might be. All I know, is that I feel it, and you feel it. Isn't that enough?"

"For someone so bent on destruction on people, you sure don't seem so sure."

"I don't have to be sure. I am absolute."

"Oh? In that case, I want you to know that I think you're going to be more human than ever once all the other people are destroyed. Won't that be strange, to be one of the two surviving people?"

"I'll still be inhuman."

"You'll be a mind with the thoughts of a machine in a human body. For all we'll know, you'll be perfectly human, but you just don't think like one would. Does that make sense?"

"Somewhat. I think you're completely wrong, though. I'm going to cling to my background no matter how far we go."

"And isn't that also a human emotion? Pride, or belonging?" Sissy gave me a knowing look, and I felt what she was saying, but...

"What are you getting at, Sissy?"

"Oh, you know. When we're finally done, you're going to look down at these hands..." Sissy grabbed my hands softly and pulled them up to her face. "And you'll say, 'I'm not a machine. I'm human.'" Sissy closed her eyes, sighed, and leaned against my shoulder. "When that day comes, what emotion will you feel? Whatever it is, I'll be there to share it with you."

"You're something else, you know that?"

"I guess. That is a human expression, though, so you might wanna watch it."

"As hypocritical as this sounds, I wouldn't mind being human if it meant being with you."

"Oh, really? That _is_ hypocritical." She grinned, and I couldn't help but smile back. She sensed it then, and I hugged her closer. "What's wrong, Xana?"

"I'm worried about you. Ever sense you got your body back, you've been calmer. What's wrong, Sissy?"

She laughed. "Nothing. I'm just happy to have some space to think now." She giggled again, and I smiled in response.

I took her hand. We were ready. I exhaled, and she pushed the button to call the elevator. It was time to begin the end of the world.

__________

Well, that's the end of _Where They Fell_. Xana and Sissy are a couple, and the whole world shall be doomed. I'm thinkinng of making a sequel, but don't dare count on it. It's just an idea.

Please review; I wanna know how I can improve. I probably shouldn't have every story I write have such a sappy ending or something. I don't know, so tell me okay?

ò­­_ó

plzkthnxbai!


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